William edward stevens



(No Model.)

W. E. STEVENS.

DRY CLOSET.

No. 431,824. Patented July 8, 1890.

FIE.R.

w: nomus mm cm, mow-Luna, WASHWGTQN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM EDWVARD STEVENS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LUOIAN B. ROBB, OF SAME PLACE.

DRY CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,824, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed February 26, 1890. Serial No. 341,833. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM EDWARD STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry Closets, of which the following is a specification, refer: ence being had to the accompanying drawlngs.

The object of my invention is to construct a dry closet in such a manner as that arconstant draft of air will enter the closet through the excrement-opening only and pass over and around the solid excrement; also, to provide a filtering-bed of charcoal adjacent to the partition, which forms the solid excre ment-bed, through which all liquid matter is filtered and drained off into the air-chamber beneath the solid excrement, the said filtering-bed being at all times freed from solid matter and exposed to the action of the air, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line so an of Fig. 3, looking toward the upper left-hand corner. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line y 'y of Fig. 4, looking toward the upper righthand corner. Fig. 3 is a top view of the closet with the lids in position, and Fig. 4 is a similar view with the lids removed. Fig. 5 is a top view, on a diminished scale, of four closets combined embodying my invention, the top portion of two of the closets being broken away, showing the position of the partition and filtering-bed therein. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 z, Fig. 5, showing one closet complete, looking toward the left hand in Fig. 5.

IVhen but one closet is to be put in place, it is preferred to form the body of the closet in sections A, B, and C, as shown. Said sections may be formed of any suitable material, as cast-iron or tiling, and are so located The object in having each section rest within the outer flange of the next lower section is to permit of forming the body air and water 1 tight-as by cementing or othewise-rende1= ing the joints so'formed perfectly tight.

The top of the closet is covered with suit- 5 able lids D and D, which rest upon the top section within the outer flange cl to permit of said lids being cemented or otherwise tightly secured in place. When constructed as shown, the lid D is preferably provided with a flange d, on which the rear side of the lid D rests, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in order to permit of said lids being rendered perfectly air-tight, so far as the joints are conoerned. In the lid D is formed the excrement-opening E.

In the lower portion of the closet is placed or formed a suitable partition, preferably formed of two plates F and F, which may be supported in any suitable manner, as by lugs f, connected with the inner face of the bodysection B, as shown in Fig. 1, the plate F having a downwardly-inclined flange F resting upon the bottom or base C, as shown in Figs.

1 and 4, said flange separating the filter-bed from the air-chamber, but in such a manner as that the liquid after passing through the filter will drain off into the air-chamber G. If desired, the plates F and F may be formed in one piece; but it is preferred to form the partition of two or more plates, so that in case it is desired to burn the excrement, as will hereinafter appear the partition will not crack or warp. 7 It will be seen that the filtering-chamber-H is filled with suitable filtering material and covered with charcoal up to or a little above the plane of the partition, which forms the bed on which the solid excrement falls and accumulates. It will be seen that the filterin'g-chamberH, when the closet is partitioned as shown, is formed in one corner of the closet, and the farthest possible point from where the solid excrement falls and accumulates on the partition-plates,which latter may be changed in location in the closet 5 to form the filtering-bed in the desired loca tion. As shown, it is preferred to cover the bottom of the air-chamber G, with charcoal in the closet.

In one corner of the closet is formed the down-flue K, which is preferably formed with nection with an upstairs hopper, the latter being connected to said opening M by means of the soil-pipe M as shown in Fig. 1. \Vhen used in this latter connection, the excrementopening E is tightly closed, as air is admitted to the closet through the excrement-opening only, as aforestated, which, when used in connection with the soil-pipe, would be the hopper. (Not shown.)

The aforedescribed is the preferable construction of a single closet; but in case it is desired to combine several closets, as in hotels or school-houses, I may use brick-work in building the bottom, sides, and partition- Walls, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. WVhen thus constructed, the general arrangement of the partition-plates F and F, flue K, air-chamber G, and filtering-chamber H are the same in each closet as that hereinbefore described. hen constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it is preferred to have the partition-plates rest in the brick-work; but, if desired, they may be made to rest upon suitable projections from the walls and partitions. It will be seen that when the closets are combined the partitions are built up solid between the filtering-beds, the air-chamber passing through said .partitions, as shown, along the front wall.

It is preferred to cover the top of the closet with a suitable board, to which is hinged the usual lid P, as shown in Fig. 6, a suitable lug being connected to the under face of said lid to admit of a draft of air passing into the closet through the excrementopening at all times. Near the center top portion of the partition is an opening leading into the airchamber, said opening being covered with a suitable lid S, which may be removed when desired to force the solid dried excrement into the air-chamber to burn or remove the same. When desired to burn the excrement, the fire is introduced into the air-chamber G through the opening covered by door T, after which the solid dried'excrement is forcedthrough the top opening in the partition into the air-chamber and burned but from practical tests it has beenfound that this excrement accumulates very slowly, as the action of the air tends to continually reduce it in volume, and consequently will seldom have to be burned or removed. The excrement may be removed in an odorless and harmless condition by mixing with it lime, ashes, or dried earth, which can be inserted and mixed through the excrement-opening without danger of any return current of air and with it the lime and odors.

In order to prevent the closet from being flooded through carelessness. and abuse by pouring in a large quantity of Water at any one time, I have provided a safety-pipe 0 leading from the bottom of air-chamber G to a sewer or other suitable receiver, and the water, having to pass through the filter, will pass off through this pipe in a purified condition; but from proper use this pipe, will never be required, as the charcoal will purity and the atmosphere drive. off all liquid matter in the closet.

The operation of my improved closet is as follows: Air is drawn and admittedinto the closet through the excrement-opening only and freely circulates in all parts of the closet and is drawn off through the flue K, airchamber G, flue L, and from thence into the chimney. All excrement falls upon the partition, the solid matter remaining where it falls and the liquid matter being drained off the partition (the latter being on a slight incline) into the filter-chamber H, from which it is drained 0E beneath the flange F into the air-chamber G, from where it is taken up by the atmosphere and carried up the chimney or other suitable shaft. The sulphureted hydrogen (H 8) comes in contact with the condensed oxygen (0 contained in the charcoal, and, forming a union, passes off in the form of the well-known disinfectant sulphurous acid (H 80 in a vapor form. The solid {matter thus freed from the liquid and subjected to the continual action of the air will readily desiccate and become greatly reduced in volume. Any accumulation of paper in the closet will readily dry and may from time to time be burned out by dropping in alighted piece of paper or-match.

Theadvantages of my invention are many and obvious. By admitting air through the excrement-opening only the soil-pipe (when used) can be kept much cleaner and more pure than by any other known method, as any excrement adhering to the sides of the pipe will readily dry and fall intothe closet. The air to the closet being admitted only through the excrement-opening, all contracurrents of air are avoided, and the lid may be left entirely open without danger of noxious gases entering the room. By reason of the construction and location of the filteringbed and charcoal, which latter is at all times exposed to the action of the air, and the arrangement of the partition for keeping the solids separated from the liquid matter, and by admitting air through the excrement-opening only, I am enabled to operate the closet witha slow current of air, and by this means donot drive off thesulphuretedhydrogen (H 8) faster than the charcoal in the closet and soot in the chimney can take it up and unite it with the condensed oxygen (0 contained in them, thus producing and sending off the wellknown disinfectant sulphurous acid in a vapor form, (H 80 A swift current of air will send off the noxious gases faster than the charcoal and soot can take them up, to the great annoyance and danger of the immediate neighborhood A slow current of air only being required, it can be kept up at a nominal expense by a gasjet or lighted lamp placed in the chimney when the latter is not in use. The filter-bed of charcoal being separated and protected from the solid matter and at all times subjected to the action of the air, it is thereby kept supplied with oxygen necessary to make it eifective in taking up the noxious gases, and in this manner it will retain its cleansing powers for a long time,

rendering less the danger which might otherwise arise from carelessness or neglect to clean the closet.

Another advantage arising from the fact that air is admitted through the excrementopening only is that I am enabled to mix lime, ashes, or dry earth with the solid excrement through said opening without danger or inconvenience from return odors.

WhatIclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A dry closet having in the lower portion thereof the partition constructed and connected thereto substantially as set forth, said partition forming the air-chamber G and filtering-chamber H, adjacent thereto but separated therefrom by means of the vertical portion F of the partition, said chambers being so constructed and located with reference to each other as that all liquids will percolate through said filter and drain off into the airchamber, and suitable means for keeping up a continuous circulation of air through said chamber, for the purposes specified.

2. A dry closet having in the lower portion thereof the partition-plates constructed and applied thereto substantially as set forth, one of said plates having the downward extension F said partition-plates forming the air-chamber G and filtering-chamber H, said partitionplates being so located with reference to the excrement-opening as that all excrement will fall on said plates at a distance from the filtering-chamber, and suitable flue-connections for circulating air through said air-chamber, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A dry closet divided into two chambers by means of the partition-plates F, F, and F connected to the inner Walls of said closet in any suitable manner, the lower air-chamber having the flue-connections K and L, said plate F having an opening therein covered with a suitable lid, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A dry closet divided into two chambers by means of the partition-plates, as set forth, said plates being located directly beneath the excrement-openin g and forming in one corner of the closet the filter-chamber, the latter being filled with charcoal, and suitable flueconnections for circulating a continuous current of air through the excrement-opening and lower air-chamber out through the chimney, as and for the purposes specified.

WILLIAM EDXVARD STEVENS.

W'itnesses'.

O. M. HILL, ED. STREHLI. 

